Long Description:When the railroad was built it ran into a ninty foot high barrier of solid slate which was about 275 foot thick. A young civil engineer and mining specialist by the name of Howard suggested a tunnel right through the 275 foot thick wall, which is precisly what the railroad did. The tunnel was named for the young Mr. Howard.

In the railroads last years of operation it was owned by Northern Central Railroad Company. The railroad was used for freight and passenger trains.

Today, the tunnel is part of the Heritage Rail Train County Park which starts in York City, York County, Pennsylvania and continues for 21 miles to the Maryland State Line where it joins Maryland's Rail Trail for another 20 miles.